Inflation Watch

Recommended reading, economic debates, predictions and opinions.
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martingale
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Post by martingale »

Alberta needs to stow its oil revenues in some sort of sovereign wealth fund. That would limit the inflation to some extent. For whatever nonsense reason Alberta's leadership is refusing to do this.

Sooner or later the impact on the rest of the country is going to result in some sort of act that will be deeply unpopular in Alberta. A sovereign wealth solution would preserve the funds for Albertan's futures, and stop much of the harm being done to the economy today.
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Mike Schimek
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Post by Mike Schimek »

I'm against sovereign wealth funds, etc. in any form because they represent increased taxation. Why not just increase taxes so that everyone makes around 30k per year. That would solve the inflation problem.

The reason there is an inflation problem is that a lot of people are making a lot of money and have a lot of money to spend. If you take all that money away from them you solve the inflation problem!

Finland's sovereign wealth fund, supposed to be the "wow" model for the world, is coming apart at the seams. They are in an election and the vying parties are outdoing themselves promising to spend more and more money, because the voters are tired of seeing all the money get pocketed by the government and invested overseas. What a retarded concept. They want their money. So the government is going to expand its social programs astronomically and start spending like mad. Their sovereign wealth fund will ultimately turn out to have been nothing more than a massive tax grab where the people didn't get anything out of it besides a bunch of expensive inefficient government social programs.
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Post by kcowan »

Ron Paul: Why are things so bad?
Questions are easy. Stay tuned for the answers by the end of August! :lol:
For the fun of it...Keith
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Post by WishingWealth »

"Stay tuned for the answers by the end of August! "
I punished myself into the whole 7+ minutes.
We are in good hands.

WW
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Post by agape »

kcowan wrote:Ron Paul: Why are things so bad?
Questions are easy. Stay tuned for the answers by the end of August! :lol:
Ron's a good man. I think he got shouted down and people being what they are, resist change.
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Inflation not the problem

Post by kcowan »

Inflation Not The Problem (pdf)

Interesting contrarian viewpoint.
For the fun of it...Keith
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Re: Inflation not the problem

Post by agape »

kcowan wrote:Inflation Not The Problem (pdf)

Interesting contrarian viewpoint.
Yes, and very much expected.
It’s definitely not consensus now to suggest
inflation isn’t a major threat. Albert: Yes,
but the basic message isn’t all that remarkable
— as long as unit labor costs pressures are next
to nothing, you’re not really going to get a pickup
in inflation. No matter how much people
worry about it. Anyway, maybe I’m outside the
mainstream!
Translation ? Are the rich the only ones who will have access to credit and/or increased incomes for the sake of buying up all the best stores of value ?

This is a post-problem analysis , IMO, if the damage in terms of systemic credit creation has already taken place.

Do you get the feeling that someone may want you to sell your defensive positions that you see as acting in accordance with wealth preservation ?
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Post by WishingWealth »

May be this explains the out of control inflation in Alberta.

From Yahoo News.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/080717/c ... chr_payout

Health region CEO departs with $4M retirement package.
The outgoing head of the Calgary Health Region is leaving with more than $4 million on top of his salary and benefits.

The region's latest financial statement posted on Wednesday shows that CEO Jack Davis will receive $4.028 million under a "supplemental executive retirement plan."

"You do wonder who agreed to that contract, don't you?" Dr. Avalon Roberts, a member of the Friends of Medicare advocacy group, said Thursday.


"That money would be much better spent on the front line. It's a large amount of money. I think it's probably unprecedented for a public servant to receive that kind of payout. I don't know that for sure, but it certainly seems remarkably large."


Davis, who was the region's CEO for nine years, has come under fire before for raking in more than $1 million annually in salary and benefits.

...
WW

added:
There's a comment with a look and feel just like blonde would write, sans the typing mistakes:
rock on Jack Davis you are my hero,4 million,better in your pocket than in the unscrupliose people running the health care in calagary,They will probably get 5 million when they leave,ROck On,show me the money,you go man,enjoy the money,live it up,wine woman and song,you lucky man,wish it was me,you do not have to rob a bank to make a million,just join the health sector in Calgary.they have tons of taxpayers money,I am so jealouse and enviouse of Jack Davis.Man of the year he should get a award
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Post by nisser »

Wow...4million is absurd. I'm sure his salary itself wasn't no peanuts.
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Post by WishingWealth »

Image

Looks like the Pengo is the all time winner.

From the Economist.

Hey Big Spender.
http://www.economist.com/daily/chartgal ... s_box_main

WW
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Post by Nemo2 »

Excuse me Sir, but do you have change for a Googolplex?
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Post by ghariton »

WishingWealth wrote:Looks like the Pengo is the all time winner.
...with the Mark in second place. When I was young, I collected stamps. I had a couple of billion-Mark stamps.

A story, perhaps apocryphal, from the time of the great German inflation: An American tourist walks into a restaurant in Berlin, lays down a one-dollar bill, and says: "I want you to serve me as much food as this will buy." Very good says the Maitre d'. And out comes a soup course, followed by a fish course, a meat course, various side dishes, cheese AND dessert (and wine to accompany).

"Excellent!" says the tourist, pushing back his chair, stuffed to the gills. But just as he is about to leave, he sees the waiter rushing to his table with a new soup course, and getting ready for another course of fish, meat, etc. "What's this? That was an excellent meal and I'm full. What are you up to now?"

"Sir, the Mark has just devalued by another fifty per cent!!"

George
The juice is worth the squeeze
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Post by marty123 »

ghariton wrote:"Excellent!" says the tourist, pushing back his chair, stuffed to the gills. But just as he is about to leave, he sees the waiter rushing to his table with a new soup course, and getting ready for another course of fish, meat, etc. "What's this? That was an excellent meal and I'm full. What are you up to now?"

"Sir, the Mark has just devalued by another fifty per cent!!"

George
I can't find the article online, but Maclean's had an article last month about Zimbabwe inflation. It said that patrons in restaurants did have to pay at the time of ordering to ensure that prices would not increase...and that was no joke. It did struck me as being weird (2,000,000% inflation = roughly 2-3% daily inflation), but it made it in the article. Now it bothers me that I can't find the article!
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Post by LilChrissy »

Thanks for the picture WishingWealth, very interesting.
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Mike Schimek
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Post by Mike Schimek »

I started this topic in April, at which point in time inflation wasn't mentioned in the news much and wasn't a big topic. Since then we've seen the news coverage skyrocket.

I sold most of my stocks in late May and have been buying back in recently.

My portfolio strategy has been to "hide" in oil either directly through oil stocks (Petro Canada) or more preferably in stocks that benefit from high priced oil (Methanex). Those two stocks are still my largest positions, surrounded by some small satellite positions in various companies that I seem to change regularly.

Well, I'm starting a new post/prediction, which is an offshoot from this topic, and thought it would be neat to have a new name for it...

"The Great Inflession"

:P
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Post by Clock Watcher »

Clock Watcher wrote:I am going to change that license plate a bit: "Please Lord let there be a major recession in Alberta".
Looks like my wish will come true. May it be deep and long-lasting. I am fed up with the excesses & the inflation especially the last 5 years.
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Post by blonde »

Clock Watcher wrote:
Clock Watcher wrote:I am going to change that license plate a bit: "Please Lord let there be a major recession in Alberta".
Looks like my wish will come true. May it be deep and long-lasting. I am fed up with the excesses & the inflation especially the last 5 years.
The counter-measure is to 'use' the green-thingie and/or organic-thingie as a value-added to any product or service. No Capital requred. Money-Galore. Is that a problem or Opportunity?
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Post by retireat50 »

A number of planned upgraders have been canceled so it's starting to slow things down in Alberta. From a friend working up in Ft. Mac he mentions that if there is a light bulb that needs to be screwed in, an electrician has to be called in to do it (union rules). These guys charge by the day and not the hour so the screwing in of the light bulb will cost $1000 for 5 minutes work and the electrician goes home after his "work" is done. Also, guys routinely lie about where they live so that they can get a lucrative cost of living allowance...they can live 5 minutes from the job site, but all it takes is an address out of province and boom there's an extra 4 grand per month in their pocket. This is just two examples of many I've heard. This is ridiculous and if oil gets down below $50 watch out in Alberta.
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Post by nisser »

Bring it on.
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Post by WishingWealth »

retireat50:
These guys charge by the day and not the hour so the screwing in of the light bulb will cost $1000 for 5 minutes work and the electrician goes home after his "work" is done. Also, guys routinely lie about where they live so that they can get a lucrative cost of living allowance...they can live 5 minutes from the job site, but all it takes is an address out of province and boom there's an extra 4 grand per month in their pocket.
You guys beat QC big time again. I thought that what went on during the building of the Olympic Stadium in MTL could never be beaten.
Image

WW
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Post by Delphi51 »

Wow I was finally able to get a quote from somebody! To replace a 3-pane bay window whose total measurement is 7' wide x 4' high costs $3,800.
I replaced two 5' by 4' windows this summer (one a bit taller than the old one). The quote for the job was $3500. I bought 2 triple glaze awning opening Jelwyn windows from the local hardware store for $1950 and installed them myself in two days. $750 a day (no income tax!) is darn good pay for a retired guy learning on the job.
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Post by Clock Watcher »

I spend 2 weeks in Toronto last month, and I cannot get over how cheap things are, even after taking the 8% PST into consideration. From restaurants, to Niagara fall tours, to groceries, it was cheap, cheap, cheap.

I am more convinced than ever that those of us in Alberta are being taken advantaged of.
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Post by Mike Schimek »

I spend 2 weeks in Toronto last month, and I cannot get over how cheap things are, even after taking the 8% PST into consideration. From restaurants, to Niagara fall tours, to groceries, it was cheap, cheap, cheap.

I am more convinced than ever that those of us in Alberta are being taken advantaged of.
Another thing that is cheap cheap cheap is the amount of money people are making compared to Alberta. It is quite possible (perhaps even probable) that the reason things are so cheap is because of high unemployment and lower salaries creating downwards pressure on consumer goods.

For arguments sake, if people in Alberta make 50% more than those in Ontario, and there is less unemployment, yet things cost 20% more... are you certain about the relativity of your conclusions...

Come to Quebec! Things such as those mentioned are even cheap cheap cheaper! Or, having talked about this offshoot in another thread, try... Cuba! Things are REALLY cheap there. And people make almost nothing. It's great for visitors though, if you come from a more capitalist country or province, which subsequently (I believe) has much higher wages.
Research until your head hurts then scream Banzai!!! and charge fearlessly to victory or death!
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Post by Clock Watcher »

Mike Schimek wrote:
I spend 2 weeks in Toronto last month, and I cannot get over how cheap things are, even after taking the 8% PST into consideration. From restaurants, to Niagara fall tours, to groceries, it was cheap, cheap, cheap.

I am more convinced than ever that those of us in Alberta are being taken advantaged of.
Another thing that is cheap cheap cheap is the amount of money people are making compared to Alberta. It is quite possible (perhaps even probable) that the reason things are so cheap is because of high unemployment and lower salaries creating downwards pressure on consumer goods.

For arguments sake, if people in Alberta make 50% more than those in Ontario, and there is less unemployment, yet things cost 20% more... are you certain about the relativity of your conclusions...

Come to Quebec! Things such as those mentioned are even cheap cheap cheaper! Or, having talked about this offshoot in another thread, try... Cuba! Things are REALLY cheap there. And people make almost nothing. It's great for visitors though, if you come from a more capitalist country or province, which subsequently (I believe) has much higher wages.
I always thought that in a recession, prices go down, but that is certainly not happening in Alberta, quite the opposite. If this is the best that a recession can do, then we need a depression.

[Edit] Just as I was typing up this post, the spring cleanup people arrived. Despite having agreed to a set price 3 weeks ago (which was 10% higher than last year), they now want 15% more on top of that.
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Re: Inflation Watch

Post by Clock Watcher »

Just got my property tax bill. It is up 16% from last year! I am beginning to get fed up with living in Alberta. Let's have a depression already!

This is really ticking me off. The next municipal election, I am going to speak my mind. They also collect the education tax on behalf of the province, up only 10%. Next provincial election, I will also speak my mind.
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